Hypermucoviscous capsular 1 (K1) serotype Klebsiella pneumoniae necrotising fasciitis and metastatic endophthalmitis

BMJ Case Rep. 2018 Nov 28;11(1):e226096. doi: 10.1136/bcr-2018-226096.

Abstract

A 48-year-old man presented with a non-healing wound on his left foot after stepping on a nail. He self-medicated with amoxicillin, but the wound progressed prompting consult. On examination, his left foot was diffusely swollen with surrounding erythema, areas of gangrene, foul-smelling purulent discharge and subcutaneous emphysema. He was managed as a case of necrotising fasciitis and underwent emergent amputation. Three days after amputation, he developed a sudden and progressive blurring of vision, swelling and conjunctival erythema, with purulent discharge and the presence of hypopyon on the left eye. He was then managed as a case of endophthalmitis of the left eye and underwent pars plana vitrectomy. All cultures (blood, tissue and vitreous fluid) grew pan-susceptible hypermucoviscous Klebsiella pneumoniae, with positive string tests and confirmed by multilocus gene sequencing and sequence type analysis. He gradually improved with intravenous antibiotics, but only regained light perception in the left eye.

Keywords: infectious diseases; tropical medicine (infectious disease).

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Amputation, Surgical
  • Endophthalmitis / microbiology*
  • Fasciitis, Necrotizing / complications
  • Fasciitis, Necrotizing / microbiology*
  • Fasciitis, Necrotizing / surgery
  • Foot Injuries / complications
  • Foot Injuries / microbiology*
  • Foot Injuries / surgery
  • Humans
  • Klebsiella Infections / complications
  • Klebsiella Infections / microbiology*
  • Klebsiella Infections / surgery
  • Klebsiella pneumoniae / genetics*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Serogroup